November 2006

World

Taiwanese President Accused of Corruption (Nov. 3): Prosecutors indict Wu Shu-chen, the wife of President Chen Shui-ban, charging that she spent $450,000 in public funds on personal expenditures. Authorities also say that President Chen submitted fake receipts when drawing from the same fund and lied about how he spent the money.

Hussein Is Found Guilty (Nov. 5): An Iraqi court convicts the former Iraqi president of crimes against humanity and sentences him to death by hanging. An appeal of the death sentence is automatic.

Israel Ends Gaza Incursion (Nov. 7): Military withdraws from Gaza Strip after six-day mission to stop Palestinians from firing rockets into Israel. More than 50 Palestinians are killed in the operation and about 30 houses are destroyed. (Nov. 8): Israeli artillery kills 18 Palestinians, including eight children and six women, in Gaza. Israel expresses regret and says it was a preventive attack.

Ortega Returns to Power (Nov. 7): Daniel Ortega, the former Marxist president of Nicaragua, is declared the winner of the country's presidential election.

Dozens Are Kidnapped in Iraqi (Nov. 14): About 150 people are abducted from Iraq's Ministry of Higher Education by gunmen wearing police commando uniforms. (Nov. 16:) Four American security guards on one Austrian are taken when a supply convoy is hijacked in southern Iraq.

Data Say Land Occupied by Israel Is Palestinian (Nov. 20): Maps and figures obtained by Peace Now, an Israeli group, indicate that about 40% of the land in Israeli settlements in the West Bank is owned privately by Palestinians.

Lebanese Minister Is Assassinated (Nov. 21): Christian cabinet minister Pierre Gemayel, a critic of Syria, is shot several times while in his car. His father, Amin Gemayel, is a former president of Lebanon.

Nepal Government and Rebels Sign Accord (Nov. 21): Maoist rebels agree to lay down their arms and participate in government. They agree that elections will determine if the monarchy is to continue.

Civilian Deaths Reach Record High in Iraq (Nov. 22): Some 3,700 Iraqi civilians died in October, the highest toll since the war began in 2003, according to the United Nations. Report also says that about 100,000 Iraqis flee each month to Jordan and Syria.

Sectarian Violence Plagues Iraq (Nov. 23): More than 200 people die when five car bombs and a mortar shell explode in the Shiite-dominated Sadr City district of Baghdad. (Nov. 24): Shiites retaliate, attacking mosques in Baghdad and Baquba. Dozens die in the attacks.

Israelis and Palestinian Agree to Cease-fire in Gaza (Nov. 25): Palestinian militants will end attacks into Israel and the Israelis will withdraw troops from the territory.

Leaked Memo Questions Iraqi Leader (Nov. 28): A classified document, which was leaked to the New York Times, written by Stephen Hadley, President Bush's national security adviser, says Iraqi prime minister Nuri al-Maliki may not have the clout to stem the sectarian violence that has ravaged Iraq. “The reality on the streets of Baghdad suggests Maliki is either ignorant of what is going on, misrepresenting his intentions, or that his capabilities are not yet sufficient to turn his good intentions into action.”

Bush Meets with Maliki in Jordan (Nov. 30): After meeting with Iraqi prime minister Nuri al-Maliki, President Bush says the United States will not withdraw a large amount of troops from Iraq in the near future. Malilki says he expects his troops to be ready to assume security of the country by June 2007. Maliki had canceled an earlier meeting with Bush shortly after a memo by Bush's national security adviser that was critical of Maliki was leaked in the press.

Nation

Iraq Auditor's Office to Close (Nov. 3): The media reports that a last-minute insertion into the military authorization bill signed in late October by President Bush included a provision to shut down the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. Stuart Bowen, the leader of the office, issued about 300 reports that have been highly critical of the reconstruction in Iraq and uncovered many examples of poor construction, unfinished projects, and rampant corruption.

Democrats Take Over Congress in Midterm Elections (Nov. 7): Democrats pick up 27 seats in the House of Representatives, giving them a 230 seats to Republicans' 205. In the Senate, Democrats gain six seats, enough for a 51–49 majority.

Rumsfeld Resigns as Defense Secretary (Nov. 8): A day after a majority of American voters voiced their opposition to the war in Iraq, Donald Rumsfeld announces his resignation as U.S. Secretary of Defense. President Bush nominates Robert Gates, the former chief of the CIA, as his successor.

Members of Congress Select New Leaders (Nov. 15): Mitch McConnell is elected Republican minority leader. Trent Lott, the former Senate majority leader, prevails over Lamar Alexander by one vote to become minority whip. (Nov. 16): Democrats select Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the House and Steny Hoyer as House majority leader. Pelosi is the first woman to hold the position. She had supported Rep. John Murtha over Hoyer as majority leader. (Nov. 17): Republican members of the House of Representatives elect John A. Boehner of Ohio as minority leader.

Senate Approves Nuclear Pact with India (Nov. 16): Votes, 85–12, to allow the U.S. to provide India with fuel for its civilian nuclear power program.

Business/Society/Science

California Man Is Charged with Murder in Wildfire (Nov. 2): Raymond Oyler pleads not guilty to charges of murder, arson, and other charges. He is accused of setting the Esperanza fire that killed five firefighters in late October.

Deadly Storm Ravages Southeast (Nov. 16): A dozen people are killed in wind storms and tornadoes that sweep through six states. Dozens others are injured.

Hundreds Die in Philippines Typhoon (Nov. 30): About 460 people are killed in landslides in Albay Province that were caused by a typhoon.